Democrats in the Maine House of
Representatives on Thursday nominated state Representative Ryan
Fecteau as the next speaker of the House.
Fecteau, 28, will begin his fourth
consecutive term in the House in December. If elected, Fecteau will
become Maine's first openly gay House speaker.
“I am humbled to receive the House
Democratic nomination to serve as Speaker of the House,” Fecteau
said in a tweet.
Democrats control the House by a wide
margin.
Fecteau has previously discussed
growing up poor in Biddeford and his struggle to become the only
person in his family to graduate from college.
“I'm filled with hope and
determination because when Democrats lead, people who are too often
forgotten or left at the margins are seen, they are valued and given
a fair shot,” Fecteau
told colleagues.
Last year, Maine Governor Janet Mills
signed a bill that prohibits therapies that attempt to alter the
sexual orientation or gender identity of lesbian, gay, bisexual, or
transgender youth. Fecteau introduced the bill in the House.
(Related: Maine
Gov. Janet Mills signs bill banning “ex-gay” therapy.)
According to the AP, Fecteau will also
be the youngest currently serving House speaker in the country.